There are few comic book artists more iconic and celebrated than the late George Perez. Over the course of his nearly 50-year career he would go on to illustrate some of DC and Marvel’s most popular superheroes, with his work on the Teen Titans in particular blazing new ground both visually and in terms of its legendary story arcs.
In honor of his incredible contribution to the comic book medium, we’ve put together this list of the very best George Perez covers of all time. Each comic on this list was chosen based on its cover art and not necessarily because it represent a key moment in Marvel or DC continuity (although as both a writer and an artist Perez contributed significantly to the history of Wonder Woman, the Avengers and Superman, to name just a few). To keep things simple, we’ve listed each issue in order of publication date, along with current prices and our reasons for why we picked it.
So join us as we open the vault of one of the comic book industry’s greatest artists and celebrate… the 20 best George Perez covers ever made.
1. Spectacular Spider-Man #9
- Published: August 1977
- Estimated Price: $40 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First appearance of White Tiger in a regular comic (he previously appeared in the comic magazine The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19)
- Why We Picked It: While this book picked up some spec heat with rumors that the White Tiger might appear in the MCU in an upcoming Black Panther film, for us it’s simply an epic George Perez cover that showcases the master at the top of his game.
2. Uncanny X-Men #112
- Published: August 1978
- Estimated Price: $80 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic cover.
- Why We Picked It: While Perez is perhaps best know for his work on DC comics, he also produced this epic cover for Marvel in the late 70s (which, incidentally, also may be in the running for one of the greatest X-Men covers of all time).
3. Avengers #181
- Published: March 1979
- Estimated Price: $100 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First appearance of Scott Lang (aka the second Ant Man) New Avengers roster is formed of Captain America, Iron Man, Beast, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Falcon and Wasp
- Why We Picked It: George Perez was often known for creating covers choked full of characters, and this iconic issue of the Avengers is no exception, featuring a superhero smorgasbord that remains of a sought after issue among fans of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
4. Avengers #196
- Published: June 1980
- Estimated Price: $200 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First full appearance of the Taskmaster.
- Why We Picked It: While this single issue introduces one of the Avengers’ greatest foes (and a villain who appeared in the MCU in the 2021 Black Widow film), we chose it for this list because of the epic George Perez cover that offers a stunning blend of color, design, style and drama.
5. Green Lantern #132
- Published: September 1980
- Estimated Price: $20 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Back-up stories begin (they eventually ended in Green Lantern #147)
- Why We Picked It: While George Perez’s first published work for DC appeared inside the pages of Flash #298 in 1980, this particular issue actually marks his first official cover art for DC. The end result is both a classic Green Lantern issue and a milestone in Perez’s now legendary career.
6. Avengers #200
- Published: October 1980
- Estimated Price: $10 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First appearance of Marcus Immortus (the son of Immortus, conceived by Carol Danvers).
- Why We Picked It: While this book marks a major milestone in Marvel publishing history (as the 200th issue of the Avengers), it’s also stands out as an exceptional (and underrated) George Perez cover, showcasing a classic 80s version of the Avengers roster.
7. New Teen Titans #1
- Published: November 1980
- Estimated Price: $40 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Second team appearance and origin of the New Teen Titans (Beast Boy, Cyborg, Kid Flash, Raven, Robin, Starfire and Wonder Girl).
- Why We Picked It: An important milestone in the history of DC’s Teen Titans, this comic is also arguably one of the most iconic and instantly-recognizable George Perez covers ever, showcasing his unique character designs and style. The end result is a classic work of art we just had to include on this list.
8. New Teen Titans #2
- Published: December 1980
- Estimated Price: $350 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First appearance of Deathstroke the Terminator. First cameo appearance of Trigon (as demonic eyes).Why We Picked It: While this book is another important key among DC collectors (as it marks the first appearance of legendary villain Deathstroke), it’s also an absolutely stunning cover by George Perez, showcasing some of his best work on the Teen Titans.
9. Green Lantern #141
- Published: June 1981
- Estimated Price: $45 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First team appearance of the Omega Men (Primus, Kalista, Harpis, Demonia, Broot and Nimbus)
- Why We Picked It: A minor DC key featuring the Omega Men, this book also shows a darker side to Perez, borrowing some of the sinister, creeping horror of classic Neal Adams covers, proving just why he was one of comics’ most versatile and beloved artists.
10. Justice League of America #200
- Published: March 1982
- Estimated Price: $10 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Origin of the Justice League of America retold.
- Why We Picked It: While George Perez covers are often brimming with action and multiple characters, they somehow never seem too busy or overwhelming. Case in point: this classic wrap around cover that’s an absolute masterpiece when it comes to DC’s greatest superhero team.
11. New Teen Titans #39
- Published: February 1984
- Estimated Price: $5 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Last appearance of Dick Grayson as Robin (becomes Nightwing in Tales of the Teen Titans #44)
- Why We Picked It: While most fans love George Perez for his highly detailed, action-filled covers, images like the one on this classic Teen Titans cover prove he was also capable of more subdued and introspective work.
12. Tales of the Teen Titans #44
- Published: July 1984
- Estimated Price: $150 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Dick Grayson (aka Robin) becomes Nightwing
- Why We Picked It: A major key issue in Teen Titans canon, this book also just happens to be one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable George Perez covers of all time, illustrating his incredible use of character design and layout.
13. Crisis on Infinite Earths #7
- Published: October 1985
- Estimated Price: $20 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Death of Supergirl. Origin of The Monitor, Anti-Monitor, Pariah and Guardians of Oa.
- Why We Picked It: In addition to being one of George Perez’s most famous covers, this book is also arguably one the most iconic comic book images ever, having been reprinted, reproduced, parodied and praised almost 40 years after it was first published.
14. Wonder Woman #1
- Published: February 1987
- Estimated Price: $25 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Second Wonder Woman series (featuring her origin story).
- Why We Picked It: While George Perez is perhaps best known for his work on Teen Titans, his contribution to Wonder Woman is no less memorable, particularly with images such as this stunning wrap around cover, which pays fitting tribute to the history of DC comic’s greatest Amazonian warrior.
15. Batman #436
- Published: August 1989
- Estimated Price: $15 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First appearance of Tim Drake (later becomes Robin).
- Why We Picked It: Perez’s contribution to Batman in the 80s is often overshadowed by contributors like Frank Miller and Neal Adams, but his work remains incredibly important and groundbreaking. This book is a classic example of what he brought to the character (and incidentally almost made our list as one of the best Batman covers ever made).
16. New Titans #61
- Published: December 1989
- Estimated Price: $10 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic Batman cover.
- Why We Picked It: An often overlooked George Perez cover from the late 80s, this particular issue shows just how far his work evolved over the course of his career, demonstrating his unique style, sense of drama and attention to detail.
17. Infinity Gauntlet #1
- Published: July 1991
- Estimated Price: $20 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: First issue in the six-issue limited series. Thanos eliminates half of the world’s population using the Infinity Gauntlet.
- Why We Picked It: An absolute masterclass in how to illustrate a cover, this issue may just be one of George Perez’s best (and helped to set the tone of the entire MCU). In fact, we we easily could have included every issue he illustrated in the Infinity Gauntlet saga,all of which remain classic early 90s Marvel covers. Nuff’ said.
18. JLA / Avengers #3
- Published: December 2003
- Estimated Price: $25 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Iconic crossover of superheroes from Marvel and DC.
- Why We Picked It: An absolute explosion of superheroes from two of comic books biggest publishers, this issue is George Perez at his finest, using every inch of cover space to maximum effect and layering in an incredible amount of action and detail.
19. Infinite Crisis #4 (Variant)
- Published: March 2006
- Estimated Price: $5 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Variant cover.
- Why We Picked It: Another absolutely stunning and often overlooked cover, this issue again shows what Perez was capable of, and just how far he’d progressed as an artist in the later stages of his career. The use of character, layout and drama is simply amazing.
20. DC Universe #0
- Published: June 2008
- Estimated Price: $5 USD (Raw High Grade)
- Why It’s a Key: Second cameo appearance of Larfleeze (aka Agent Orange). First cameo appearance of Genocide. First cameo appearance of Red Volcano.
- Why We Picked It: And finally, rounding out our list is this classic George Perez cover that features a massive lineup of DC heroes and villains in one epic image. Few artists both from past and present can bring this level of detail and drama, making it a fitting tribute to one of comic books’ greatest creators.
So there you have it, fellow hoarders. Our picks for the 20 best George Perez covers of all time. Are there any issues you think we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
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